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Penguins Official news thread

The Pittsburgh Penguins have added Mike Kadar to the hockey staff in the role of strength and conditioning coach, it was announced Tuesday by Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero.

Kadar joins the Penguins after spending four seasons with the Los Angeles Kings in the same capacity. He also spent one season with the Manchester Monarchs, the Kings’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate.
Mike Kadar

In July 2005, Kadar assisted Hockey Canada with all aspects of their off-ice training and contributed in the development for the off-ice portion of the Skills of Gold Hockey Development DVD series. This program is used by many of the national teams for Canada, such as the under-18 and under-20 teams along with the under-22 national women’s team.

Kadar was hired as a strength and conditioning consultant for the Slovenian National Team in April 2007. He administered strength and flexibility programs while also assisting the coaching staff with system adjustments during the 2007 World Championship as the club won the gold medal in the B Pool.

Kadar earned a degree in physical education from the University of Lethbridge (Alberta). The 38-year-old native of Elnora, Alberta is schooled in massage therapy and holds certification with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Kadar also has hockey coaching experience at the collegiate level.

Angelo Esposito, the Penguins’ first round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, will miss the Canada-Russia Super Series because of a groin injury. Esposito’s junior team, the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, informed Hockey Canada of the decision Tuesday.

Penguins trainers have been in touch with team doctors in Quebec, who will keep Esposito off the ice for 7-10 days before re-evaluating his condition.

Esposito, 18, had been selected to represent Canada in the eight-game series that starts in Russia Aug. 27.

The Penguins will hold a rookie prospects camp starting Sept. 5 in Kitchener, Ontario and will open their main training camp in Pittsburgh on Sept. 13.

Crash The Net - Pens Q&A
UESTION: With Angelo Esposito not playing for Canada in the Super Series because of his groin injury, what do you think his chances are of playing for the Penguins this season?
Angelo Esposito listens to coaches during the first hockey training session for rookies in Canonsburg, Pa.,Tuesday, June 26, 2007. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
-Trevor in Ottawa, Canada

BOB GROVE: We've probably had more mail about Angelo Esposito this past week than any other subject -- and that was before it was announced Tuesday that a groin injury would prevent the Penguins' first-round 2007 draft pick from playing in the eight-game Canada/Russia Super Series. That series begins next week between the countries' under-20 teams to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the epic 1972 series.

Esposito's junior team, the Quebec Remparts, informed Hockey Canada about the decision Tuesday and said its doctors plan to re-evaluate Esposito sometime next week. At this point, his status for the start of rookie camp Sept. 5 in Kitchener, Ont. and the start of Pittsburgh's main camp Sept. 13 is unknown.

Many fans are wondering about Esposito's chances of making the Penguins' season-opening roster, and obviously those chances won't be helped by any injury problems. But considering that he is a center on a team stacked with talented centers -- and has never played the wing -- and that he has junior eligibility remaining, it's probably a very long shot. One thing we learned last fall with Jordan Staal is that you never say never, but I would not expect Esposito to reach the NHL this season.

QUESTION: As an out of town fan, its not always easy to watch the games. Is the an internet package available similar to the MLB.tv coverage?
-David in Atlanta, GA

BOB GROVE: This season the NHL Center Ice package will also be available online, allowing fans to watch out-of-market games. Details are still being worked out and will be released in the next few weeks. Keep checking back to pittsburghpenguins.com and nhl.com for more information.

QUESTION: Which prospect do you think has the best chance of making the Penguins roster this year, besides Kris Letang? I think it should be Ryan Stone, they could use another power forward in the lineup with some size, grit, and a scoring touch ala Gary Roberts.
-FJ in Lebanon, PA

BOB GROVE: Other than Letang, I believe the prospects with the best chance of landing a roster spot out of training camp this fall are Stone and Jonathan Filewich.

Stone, a center, is coming off a miserable AHL season in which he broke a bone in his wrist and then wound up in the hospital fighting off the flu. He played only 41 games. He has some good skills but is a scrappy player who projects as a possible power forward type, although the Penguins would like to see him improve his quickness.

Filewich, a right wing, led the Baby Penguins with 30 goals last season, one shy of the team record, and won the fastest skater competition at the AHL All-Star Game. He is a very conscientious player who works hard off the ice and listens to coaches, and I think he will get a very long look at camp.

QUESTION: What is your opinion on the goaltending situation? Fleury is number one no question about that. What's with the additions of Ty Conklin and Dan Sabourin? Do you think Dave Brown has a shot at the number 2 post?
-Jamie in Winnipeg, MB

BOB GROVE: We've had a lot of mail about the Penguins' goaltending situation, no doubt fostered by the fact Dany Sabourin has played only 14 NHL games and Ty Conklin 76. But since Sabourin was signed to a one-way contract and Conklin to a two-way contract, you can bet Sabourin will begin the season as Marc-Andre Fleury's backup -- barring an injury or a major camp meltdown.

David Brown, drafted in 2004 and coming off a fantastic season at Notre Dame, and John Curry, signed as a free agent this summer after a very good career at Boston University, are likely to battle it out to join Conklin with the Baby Penguins. The odd man out among the five would likely go to Wheeling of the ECHL.

QUESTION: Can you explain the NHL schedule? Why won't the Penguins be playing Chicago this year?
-Paul in Portage, In

BOB GROVE: The last time the NHL schedule enabled every team to play every other team at least once was during the 2003-04 season. The NHL has had an unbalanced schedule since it returned from the lockout, emphasizing division rivalries. Under the current format, the Penguins play eight games against each of their division rivals (for a total of 32 games); four games against each of the other teams in its conference (40 games); and 10 games against teams from the Western Conference.

In the Penguins' case, the NHL accomplishes that last piece of scheduling this season by having Pittsburgh host each team from the Pacific Division and travel to play each team in the Northwest Division. The Penguins will not play any Central Division teams this season. The NHL rotates which division is bypassed by each team each season, so the Penguins will play the Hawks again in 2008-09.

Maxime Talbot
QUESTION: I remember hearing that Maxime Talbot won an NHL poker tournament and was given a seat at the World Series of Poker. I was just wondering how he did since i dontremember hearing anything about his results?
-Daniel in Waynesboro, PA

BOB GROVE: Max earned his way into the 2007 World Series of Poker by winning a charity tournament between NHL players that included Martin Brodeur and Simon Gagne. But, alas, Max isn't ready just yet to retire as a millionaire. He was eliminated on the first day of competition.

Angelo Esposito is sidelined with a groin injury.
The injury puts his participation in the upcoming Canada-Russia junior-aged Super Series. The severity of the injury is not yet known, but he will be off the ice for the next seven to 10 days. He is still a long shot to make the Penguins out of training camp even if he was healthy.

Penguins will play in Ice Bowl on New Year’s Day
By Rob Rossi
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, August 24, 2007

The Penguins will start 2008 in cool style by playing an outdoor game in Buffalo on New Year's Day.

Several NHL officials said today that the game between the Penguins and Sabres on Jan. 1, 2008 will be played at Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the NFL's Bills. In a made-for-television event -- the game will air nationally on NBC -- the Penguins and Sabres will skate on an outdoor rink in front of what the NHL hopes will prove the largest audience ever to watch an NHL game in the United States.

Neither the league nor NBC would officially confirm the tentatively titled "Ice Bowl," which is scheduled to be played at 1 p.m. An official announcement is expected on Sept. 10, prior to the start of training camp.

"If and when we have something to announce we will make sure the announcement gets heard," NHL vice president of media relations Frank Brown said.
The Penguins had no comment about their involvement in an outdoor game.

The league previously approached the Penguins about possibly hosting the outdoor game, but the team declined so that it could focus on planning for its new arena. The Penguins told the league they would participate as a visiting team, as the NHL is believed to have desired two U.S. markets for the "Ice Bowl."

This will mark the league's second attempt an outdoor game. The Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers played in "The Heritage Classic" at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium on Nov. 22, 2003. That contest was played in sub-freezing temperatures, but was not televised live in the United States. That game attracted a crowd of more than 55,000 people.

A report has surfaced stating that the Sabres will face off against the Penguins on January 1, 2008.
The game will be played at Ralph Wilson stadium, home to the NFL's Buffalo Bills in what the league is hoping to be the largest crowd to watch a game in hockey history. In 2003, the Oilers played the Canadiens in Edmonton outside in front of 52,000 people. Michigan played Michigan State outdoors in front of a record 74,554 fans in 2001. It will be a great game should it become official.

All goal judges will move to the press box this season.
The goal judge has become a relic in the age of video review as their main function is to light the red lamp after a goal is scored. Many clubs will take advantage of this by adding new luxury seats in the areas vacated immediately behind the net.

How will Penguins lines mesh?
One of the first things Penguins coach Michel Therrien will have to do is figure out where to put his latest acquisitions. He'll have to determine if Petr Sykora, a left-handed shooter who plays the right wing, will better complement Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, or whether Darryl Sydor will develop a better rapport on the blue line with Sergei Gonchar, Ryan Whitney or Brooks Orpik.

Aebischer, Conklin Signed.
Two unrestricted free agent goaltenders coming off seasons to forget found new homes on July 19th.

Former Montreal Canadiens netminder David Aebischer was signed to a one-year contract by the Phoenix Coyotes, and former Buffalo Sabres goalie Ty Conklin was signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins to a one-year, $500K contract.

Aebischer, once considered the heir apparent to Patrick Roy in Colorado, was dealt in March 2006 to the Canadiens for Jose Theodore. He began last season battling with Cristobal Huet for the starter's role with the Habs but wound up as the backup until mid-season, when Huet was injured and he was given the opportunity to step into the starter's role.

Unfortunately for Aebischer, he was unable to regain his early season form and was so shaky that in desperation the Canadiens switched to call-up Jaroslav Halak, whose strong performance once again relegated "Abby" to riding the pine for the rest of the season.

Aebischer will get the opportunity to prove himself a capable starter with the Coyotes, where he'll jostle for the role with Mikael Tellqvist. This could be his last best opportunity to regain the form that made him the starting goaltender for the Avs for two seasons following Roy's retirement.

Conklin was once projected as the future starting goaltender for the Edmonton Oilers following a strong rookie season in 2003-04, but he struggled throughout the 2005-06 season, losing the starter's role to Dwayne Roloson. When Roloson was injured in the opening game of the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals, a shaky Conklin allowed the game winning goal following a mix-up behind his net.

He never seemed to recover from that and spent last season split between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Buffalo Sabres, playing in only 16 games with a 3-5-2 record, a 3.34 goals-against average and an .879 save percentage.

This signing seemed a bit odd by the Penguins as they'd signed Dany Sabourin earlier this month to a two-year contract, but evidently they've decided it worthwhile to add more goaltending depth.

Conklin will likely have to battle with Sabourin in training camp and pre-season to earn the right to back up starter Marc-Andre Fleury.

Penguins Crosby unveils clothing line
Sidney Crosby has always been a first-line player. Now, the Pittsburgh Penguins star has another line: a clothing line.

The 20-year-old Crosby showed off his new clothing and hockey equipment line Tuesday at a store in Mississauga, Ontario.

"When I'm training, traveling or at home with friends, I need comfortable clothing and shoes that reflect my own personal style and the Rbk SC87 collection has me totally covered," Crosby said in a statement.

The line is a nod to his number and his Aug. 7, 1987, birth date and was designed with Crosby's input. He worked with a team of designers in Montreal, said Michele Fortier, a spokeswoman for Reebok Canada.

Initially, the line will be sold at three Canadian sporting goods stores and will not be available online. However, Len Rhodes, general manager of Reebok Canada, said the search is on for retail partners in the United States, where he plans to sell the Crosby line by 2008.

Two years ago, Crosby signed a five-year endorsement contract with Reebok worth $2.5 million. Rhodes would not say if Crosby would receive additional money from the clothing line.